&host=rt.com&uri=/politics/georgian-presidents-widow-asylum/&via=(none)&ua=CCBot/1.0 (+http://www.commoncrawl.org/bot.html))
First Georgian president’s widow seeks political asylum in Germany
Published: 28 December, 2009, 18:51
Edited: 17 February, 2010, 22:49
RIA Novosti / Alexandr Imedashvili, STR
TAGS: Scandal, Georgia, Ossetian War, Politics, Europe, Human rights
Manana Archvadze-Gamsakhurdia, widow of the first Georgian president, says she cannot take the pressure any longer in her native country and has formally appealed to German Chancellor Angela Merkel for political asylum.
Gamsakhurdia says she is being forced to resort to these measures due to the continuing persecution of her family by the current Georgian government.
“The entire world will find out the wife of Georgia’s first President, Zviad Gamsakhurdia – the man who created the foundation for an independent Georgia – is being forced to leave Georgia. Based on this, I think the whole world will support me,” said Manana Gamsakhurdia on Monday, as quoted by Ria Novosti news agency.
She hopes to attract attention to the case of her son Tsotne Gamsakhurdia, who is currently on hunger strike in a Georgian prison.
Tsotne was arrested at the end of October for allegedly wounding his neighbour with a gun in a fight.
However, Tsotne Gamsakhurdia himself says he was attacked late one night when he was on his way home. An unknown individual struck him over the head and took off with his briefcase. Tsotne was getting stitched up in hospital when police came and arrested him.
Since then, he has been incarcerated. Insisting he is not guilty, Gamsakhurdia went on hunger strike, which lasted for almost a month, but was forced to stop on doctor’s orders after he became dangerously weak.
His lawyer says he renewed the strike just a couple of days ago.
Tsotne had been arrested in Georgia before – for allegedly plotting a coup with intent to overthrow the current government of President Saakashvili, and for spying for Russia. But his guilt wasn't proven then and he was freed on bail.
Even in Georgia itself many say the country's authorities seem to be on a witch hunt for alleged spies – focusing mainly on Russian citizens of Georgian descent.
Among them is Vladimir Vakhania, who was arrested on October 12 this year, also on charges of espionage and gun possession. He was given a four-year prison sentence, which he is currently serving in a Tbilisi jail.
Vakhania himself says all charges have been fabricated by the Georgian authorities, and he was the chosen target because of his outspoken criticism of the current Georgian government.
In total, there are more than a 100 political prisoners currently serving time in Georgia.
Leaders of Georgian opposition and human rights advocates have all voiced their concern over human rights violations in the country.
Manana Gamsakhurdia’s late husband and Georgia’s first president Zviad Gamsakhurdia was an avid supporter of Georgia’s sovereignty and independence. She says, it's absurd that 15 years after his mysterious death she is forced to seek justice elsewhere – simply because it cannot be found in President Saakashvili’s Georgia.
Irina Galushko, RT, Tbilisi
28.12.2009, 16:34
31 comments
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Nuta I can’t read your mind, I only respond to your existing comment which is as it is and I tell you that when Georgia got its independence THEY CANNOT DO AS THEY WANT, for which I pointed out to a specific evil act by that country and you are not saying anything to condemn it or approve it. If you keep it silent I gather you approve what Georgians military did to its citizens in 2008 War. There are few more things which you keep silent about: 1. You said Georgia was occupied by Russia, when in fact it was Georgia who bagged Russia for protection against Ottoman Empire. 2. Larisa told us about how women are treated in Georgia when they walk alone in Tbilisi on Shota Rustaveli Avenue which is Middle Ages practice and you keep silent about it. 3. Bogdanov told us how Russian girls were treated in Russian soil and you keep silent about it. 4. Bogdanov told us that Georgia is who still occupies Russian land and not other way round and you keep silent about it. 5. Georgian onslaught against its own people in the 2008 War and you keep silent about it. Virtually that was everything you were complaining about and blaming it on Russia, and we only responded with facts to you comment for which you call us EVIL, LITTLE BRAIN and in your respond we only got an insults from you but no facts. GIVE US FACTS NUTA about abovementioned points and we will talk.
Nuta, you are confusing me more and more... Who are you? What is the message you are trying to conduct and to whom? I got impression, that you hiding yourself in the "fog" somewhere. So far, most of the contents of your posts is dedicated primarily for personal attacks -- like the people who comment on this article look very comical or just ignorant morons (me) who cannot think. Instead of spending time to clarify your views. Obviously, your "superb brain" and "chain of thoughts" way beyond of my comprehension. You are right -- I have no idea what you are talking about. Because, your incoherent generic speculations about Russia (about which I, seem, have no idea) and mystical all-knowing Russians with telescopic vision living in Russia who think that Soviet Union was an occupier and oppressor of all nations living in the USSR (I am curious, if Russians are included in this list as well?), really do not even match neither my personal experience, no any information provided by RT, by Russian government, politicians they interview, practically any Russian or rationally thinking foreign commentators on this site. And of course, it doesn't match the views hundreds of Russians I personally know. Not even one of them. So, it seems, you are part of some anti-Russian terrorist organization or something. Aren't you? As I said in my first post, you seem a person, who has no idea about Soviet Union. Because, what you are saying is complete nonsense. And this is not just my guess. I know that for sure, because I lived part of my live through this myself and know what the Soviet Union was and wasn't. Specifically, I am taking about the Soviet Union of end of 70s and beginning of 80s. I would, also, include there 60s, information about which I got from my parents, relatives and many people lived in those years.
@Nuta .. soviet occupation ? really ?? ... i agree that some eastern european countries have been occupied ... the others have joined willingly ... and ESPECIALLY GEORGIA ... so don't talk about the things you know nothing about ...